COLLIER, KUIER TAKEN 1-2 BY DALLAS WINGS IN WNBA DRAFT
NEW YORK» Charli Collier said she wrote down goals with her late father when he was hospitalized with cancer five years ago, and being selected No. 1 in the WNBA draft was one of them. She checked off that goal on Thursday night when the Dallas Wings took her with the first pick.
“He’s here with me. He’s with me in the moment,” Collier said of her dad, who died in 2016.
The Wings also had the No. 2 pick and a rare opportunity to transform the franchise. They chose Awak Kuier, who became the first Finnish player to be drafted in the WNBA.
NCAA hits USC basketball with 2
years’ probation, fine. LOS ANGELES» The NCAA hit Southern California’s men’s basketball program with two years’ probation on Thursday because a former assistant coach violated NCAA ethics rules when he accepted a bribe to steer players to a business management company.The Division I Committee on Infractions announced the penalties, which include a $5,000 fine and a 1% loss of the private school’s basketball budget. The probation, which does not include a postseason ban, runs until April 14, 2023.
Cameron Smith leads RBC Heritage after career-low 62.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C.» Cameron Smith birdied the difficult 17th and 18th holes at Harbour Town to shoot a 9-under 62, his career low on the PGA Tour, and take a one-shot lead over Stewart Cink at the RBC Heritage on Thursday.
Lydia Ko goes low again, shooting 63 in 2nd round at Lotte.
KAPOLEI, HAWAII» Lydia Ko went low again, shooting a 9-under 63 at Kapolei Golf Club on Thursday to take a threestroke lead midway through the second round at the Lotte Championship. Ko, a two-time major champion who’s seeking her first win since 2018, is 24 under par her last three rounds.
Browns, Raiders players say they’ll
skip offseason workouts. CLEVELAND»
Cleveland’s players joined a growing list of teams vowing to skip voluntary in-person workouts this offseason.
The Browns followed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, New England Patriots and New York Giants in saying they’ll exercise their collectively bargained rights not to take part in the workouts, which were scheduled to begin next week. The Las Vegas Raiders followed suit later Thursday.
NHL delays Canucks’ return to play after COVID-19 outbreak.
VANCOUVER, B.C.» The NHL has delayed the Vancouver Canucks’ return to competition. The Canucks, who have not played a game since March 24 due to a COVID-19 outbreak, had been scheduled to host the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night. The league announced Thursday the team would not play that game and did not immediately set a new date. The decision was made with input from the NHL Players’ Association and medical staff from teams, the NHL said.
Jordan will present Bryant for Hall
induction. Michael Jordan will present Kobe Bryant for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame next month.
Hall officials revealed the full list of presenters Thursday. Members of a Hall class are asked to choose who they would like to present them before their acceptance speech; when the inductee is being enshrined posthumously, as in Bryant’s case, family members are asked to make the decision on presenter.
Jordan tearfully spoke for more than 11 minutes at the memorial for Bryant and his daughter Gianna in Los Angeles in February 2020.
Leroy Keyes, gold standard of Purdue football, dies at 74. Leroy Keyes, a two-time consensus All-American running back and one of the greatest football players in Purdue history, died Thursday at his home in West Lafayette, Indiana. He was 74.